Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Finished! Sorta...

Today, about 20 minutes ago, I wrote the last words of Rewrite Draft #1 of Cry of the Falcon. Wow, exactly a year ago, I was suffering from a debilitating case of burn-out and sobbed at the very idea of sitting down to write. Today, I get to celebrate completion of the part of writing I detest most.

Tomorrow, I will print out the whole manuscript, grab my pink pens, and begin the part of the process I love. The editing. To revise, to tweak, to polish, this is where my joy lies. And I am stoked to get started.

Tonight, however, a celebratory cocktail, a movie, a toast on the back patio around the firepit, with a view of the super-moon.

Will I make my self-imposed Christmas deadline? Probably not, but I won't be too far behind. With all the editing, blurb, formatting, and cover work to do, I am now shooting for a tentative release date of ... mid-March? Valentine's? Mid-February might be too optimistic, but we shall try.


Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Cry of the Falcon, Progress Report

I've counted them up, and it looks like I have only three (maybe four) chapters to write in Cry. I'm so stoked that I feel like emitting an undignified, porcine squeal.


Almost! The finish line is in site, and it feels amazing. Once this draft is finished, I get to my favorite part of the process -- the editing. Cut, move, tweak, polish. Hopefully I have something here that will sparkle. (I foresee quite a bit of work to remove the grime, however.)

So far, this installment of the Falcons Saga has taken twice as long to write as the others, but it's the same(ish) length. Last year was a struggle to fight the burn-out and keep going. But I'm past that for the present and can't wait to finish this beast.

This week I'll be writing in a hotel in Kansas City. Lothiar is going with me to keep me company. I'm taking a dragon, too. ;) Should be an interesting brawl.


Thursday, September 24, 2015

New Writing Stuff ... And Stuff ... Because, Yeah, I Need A Great Title

Definition: STUFF [stuhf] 

n. Things for which no one can think of a word for
n. Umbrella term for random things


So I've been doing more Twitter lately, which I thought I would never do, but it's been fun and weird and fast, so like most folks, I feel I have time for it. Find me @Court_Ellyn

In other news, I was sure I could write the last few chapters of Cry of the Falcon this month, and certainly by Thanksgiving, but now I am coming down with a head cold, which may slow me down for a few days. Plus, I am embarking on an online writing course from the University of Iowa. Not sure how basic it will be, nor what the assignments and discussion will be like, but if it ends up taking up too much time, I will have to drop it and give priority to finishing Cry.

The course starts today and runs through Thanksgiving. The best part is that the course is free. What?! Can't pass that up, right? The next best part is that several other LegendFire members signed up too, so we will have each other for support and discussion.

In non-writing related stuff, I got a new car this week. I had been driving a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder, and she was on her last leg. At the dealership I hopped into a 2014 Subaru CrossTrek and knew it was the one. So I got to bring her home, and she looks great on me.

Hoping for many amazing road trips in this kewt lil' thang.


Thursday, August 13, 2015

Road Trip: Santa Fe in Snapshots

The best excuse to not write for a week is a road trip across huge empty country to a picturesque destination. Just got back from Santa Fe, NM, with several shopping bags of loot and a few snapshots worth sharing.

We explored ...

LOCAL ARCHITECTURE



LOCAL ART





Pedernal - From the Ranch I, 1956


LOCAL FOOD

Classic food at MARIA'S, where they serve the best margaritas in town.

LOCAL LANDSCAPES



AND (for me) THE PRIZE...

LOCAL LITERATURE



Fans will know that George RR Martin calls Santa Fe home. This happens to be the movie theatre he purchased and renovated a couple years ago. It features a coffee shop, art exhibit, and book store that sells only signed copies of his books and books by several other authors. What did I buy? A signed copy of Dying of the Light, and a gorgeous illustrated copy of The Ice Dragon. My only regret is not staying long enough to watch the feature film and enjoy a cocktail named after the icy wraiths in A Song of Ice and Fire.

Well, there's always next time.


Sunday, July 5, 2015

5th of July: Recovery



Had the best, most exhausting Independence Day celebration ever (Why do people call it the 4th of July? That happens everywhere.). Family poured in unexpectedly, so what was going to be a small gathering ended up being more like a family reunion. Represented by both sides of the fam-damily, which was sorta awkward but ended up working out pretty well.

My dad took all the kids fireworks shopping and ended up buying $--- worth because he's great at spoiling them (and really likes showy explosions), and so the kids shot them off until nearly midnight. We also shot clay pigeons b/c that's apparently what rednecks like to do (make even more things explode), and I tried it for the first time and shot three out of four. I woulda got that fourth one too if my ear muffs hadn't have gotten in the way. :hmm: Yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Cooked and ate waaaaay to much food, opened waaaaay too many cans and bottles, and breathed waaaaaay too much black powder. So today, I'm so exhausted and sore from laughing and talking that I just want to crawl under my bed and go back to sleep.

It was awesome.


Friday, July 3, 2015

First Friday Writing Prompt - Lifelong Dream

Inspiration: go after it with a club

Your character finally achieves their lifelong dream, but it's nothing they thought it would be. Now they would do anything to take it back. Must your character live with the consequences, or is there a way out?

Ready, set, write!

If you find inspiration and wish to share your creation with me, please do the following:

* DO paste a link to your creation as a comment to the prompt you’ve used, OR if you don't post your writing publically, type a paragraph as a comment.
* If you post your story/poem on your blog, DO include a link back to my blog, Wordweaver.
* DO NOT copy anyone else’s work and publicize it as your own.


Prompt History
January's Prompt

Friday, June 12, 2015

Twice Upon A Time Blog Tour: Interview with Bobbie Palmer


CONTRARY to the title of this anthology, working with such a talented cast of writers is an opportunity that usually comes once in a lifetime. From best-selling to greenhorn, independent or traditionally-published, the authors in this anthology span all ranges in addition to spanning the globe—from England to Australia and all over the United States. I've had the privilege of getting to know each and every one of them, and they have become a part of my extended family. I've even caught a glimpse of a secret side of them that only another writer...editor...is privy to witness through their words.

Through this series of posts, I plan on introducing you to my new family through a mini-interview of each. You may not get a chance to see their secret side, but you'll get a sneak-peek into their minds, their passions and inspirations, and what made them the writers they are today.


..The Mini Interview..


1. At what age did you start writing?

I wrote my first story in 6th grade for a class assignment and I haven't been able to stop.

2. Which book introduced you to Speculative Fiction?

Harry Potter; it opened me up to a world I never knew existed.

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? What about it makes it your favorite?

The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. When I first read it, I fell in love with the writing style and I felt like I connected to Mercy.

4. Which author and/or book inspired you to start writing?

Stephen King. His determination to have his work out there is inspiring.

5. What would you say is the most important lesson all writers should learn?

Writers need to rember to have fun. Its too easy to get caught up in edits and promoting. Both are important, but you need to have fun writing so you keep doing it. Don't let the pressure get to you.

6. Of the entire publishing process, which would you say is the most difficult aspect to endure?

Edits. I like getting lost in the story. When you edit you can't, you need to check grammar and spelling, make sure the story flows.

7. If applicable, did you have a favorite character (to write) from your story? If so, what sets them apart the others?

Scarlette Gunn. She's the main character in a series I've been working on for a few years. She is who I want to be, but won't become. She stands up for herself and won't let anyone beat her down.

8. On what projects are you currently working?

My latest paranormal romance, Emily's Captive, was just released on May 30, 2015.




Read Bobbie's story, Iron Strong Adalie, in your very own copy of Twice Upon A Time today!

..About the Author..

BOBBIE PALMER writes both paranormal and thriller novels. She loves reading just about anything and when she’s not writing she has her nose stuck in a book. She loves to cook and hang out with her nephews and two cats. She is very involved in the writing community, hosting a writer’s breakfast once a month and a former municipal liaison for NaNoWriMo.

..Connect with the Author..


Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Twice Upon A Time Blog Tour: Interview with Brian T. Hodges


CONTRARY to the title of this anthology, working with such a talented cast of writers is an opportunity that usually comes once in a lifetime. From best-selling to greenhorn, independent or traditionally-published, the authors in this anthology span all ranges in addition to spanning the globe—from England to Australia and all over the United States. I've had the privilege of getting to know each and every one of them, and they have become a part of my extended family. I've even caught a glimpse of a secret side of them that only another writer...editor...is privy to witness through their words.

Through this series of posts, I plan on introducing you to my new family through a mini-interview of each. You may not get a chance to see their secret side, but you'll get a sneak-peek into their minds, their passions and inspirations, and what made them the writers they are today.


..The Mini Interview..


1. At what age did you start writing?

I loved comic books as a kid—anything that showed a world that was more mysterious, more fabulous than my school-bus/school-day existence. But I was never satisfied with reading other people’s stories, so I wrote my own. As far back as I can remember, I wrote thinly-veiled autobiographical tales of superpowers and magic. I illustrated them, folded them into booklets, and shared them with friends and family. As I got older, the stories matured and I began to experiment with different genres and media, including music.

2. Which book introduced you to Speculative Fiction?

There are so many great books that planted spec fic seeds in me, but, if I was forced to choose one, it would have to be The Phantom Tollbooth. Why? Because that story brought magic to the real world. To think that an ordinary kid just like me could stumble upon something so fantastic, so magical—really?!?! Sign me up.

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? What about it makes it your favorite?

My all-time favorite book ... hrmmm ... that’s a hard one because I love so many stories for so many different reasons. But pressed to decide from among my darlings, I guess I’d have to go with Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow. Why? I suppose it was her use of realism and human drama as a frame within which she unfurled a wild science fiction tale. Reading the book, I felt as if I was experiencing that crazy planet and alien life because I was so connected to the character’s emotional arcs. It was very effective; images from that book have haunted me for years.

4. Which author and/or book inspired you to start writing?

I can’t really point to any one author who inspired me to start writing. I come from a family of story tellers—there wasn’t a day that passed by that wasn’t made more interesting by some creative embellishment. Writing came naturally to me. It was a way to explain and respond to the word. That said, there are several authors whose unique use of language inspires me when I put pen to paper, including Karin Tidbeck, China Mieville, Kathe Koja, and August Strindberg.

5. What would you say is the most important lesson all writers should learn?

Don’t be afraid. You will constantly hear voices telling you that you can’t do this or you can’t do that. Listen and understand why we have so many “rules” to art. But don’t fall into blind obedience. Experiment. Make mistakes. Be Bold. Most of all, write your truths. Never, ever let anyone make you afraid of your own voice.

6. Of the entire publishing process, which would you say is the most difficult aspect to endure?

Without a doubt, waiting for responses to submissions is the hardest part of the publishing grind. I love writing. I love editing. I hate waiting. When I’m done with a story, I’m a proud dad. I want to post pictures of my wriggling, pink story all over my social media channels, but I can’t. I have to lock that baby in a dark closet and let it squirm all cute and bubbly until it’s finally selected for showcasing in a magazine or anthology. Sometimes, it’s still a little darling (like Eyes of Woods, which thankfully was selected while it was still an infant). Other times, the tale is grey and grizzled and almost unrecognizable from age.

7. On what projects are you currently working?

I have a literary Sci Fi story, A Song Unheard, coming out later this year in the anthology, Startling Sci Fi, to be published by New Lit Salon Press. Tissues are a necessity. Several of my fantasy and magical realism short stories are in the submission/publication process, including my fantasy novella (which subverts the mage’s apprentice trope).




Read Brian's story, Eyes of Wood, in your very own copy of Twice Upon A Time today!

..About the Author..

BRIAN T. HODGES lives in the mossy forests of the Pacific Northwest, where he works as a lawyer, researcher, and non-fiction writer. He is also a musician, having released several albums of esoteric and ethereal music under the moniker, the Blue Hour. His fiction has been published by New Lit Salon Press, Liquid Imagination, The Strange Edge, received an Honorable Mention from the Writers of the Future contest (V31 Q1 2014), and was a finalist in the 2013 N3F Amateur Short Story Contest.

..Connect with the Author..


Friday, June 5, 2015

First Friday Writing Prompt: Anthology Themes

Inspiration: go after it with a club.
If one is writing with the goal of publication in mind, what better prompt than those offered by publications themselves? Small presses and independent presses are great about putting out calls for stories based on a theme. Some of these prompts are broad, some are more specific. 

It's been easiest for me to find these themed anthologies by using search engines, like Duotrope (subscription-only) or The Submission Grinder (free). Using their search options, you plug in the kinds of writing you're interested in, and the engine returns a list of results.

As of June 1, 2015, The Grinder returned a list of twenty fantasy anthologies that offer token payment or higher. On that list are fun ideas to spur a rush of creativity:

* Snowpocalypse: Tales of the End of the World by Black Mirror Press
* Gears, Gadgets, and Steam by Harren Press
* Game Fiction by Gold Shader
* Typhon: A Monster Anthology, vol. 1 by Pantheon Magazine

These submissions are usually time-sensitive, so dive in as soon as your other projects allow. And be sure to check dates on press blogs and release estimates. Some of these small presses go under or appear inactive before the anthology can be published. While the prompt may still be fun to explore, these may be poor prospects for publication.


If you find inspiration and wish to share your creation with me, please do the following:

* DO paste a link to your creation as a comment to the prompt you’ve used, OR if you don't post your writing publically, type a paragraph as a comment.
* If you post your story/poem on your blog, DO include a link back to my blog, Wordweaver.
* DO NOT copy anyone else’s work and publicize it as your own.


Prompt History
January's Prompt

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Twice Upon a Time Blog Tour: Interview with Kelly Hale


CONTRARY to the title of this anthology, working with such a talented cast of writers is an opportunity that usually comes once in a lifetime. From best-selling to greenhorn, independent or traditionally-published, the authors in this anthology span all ranges in addition to spanning the globe—from England to Australia and all over the United States. I've had the privilege of getting to know each and every one of them, and they have become a part of my extended family. I've even caught a glimpse of a secret side of them that only another writer...editor...is privy to witness through their words.

Through this series of posts, I plan on introducing you to my new family through a mini-interview of each. You may not get a chance to see their secret side, but you'll get a sneak-peek into their minds, their passions and inspirations, and what made them the writers they are today.


..The Mini Interview..


1. At what age did you start writing?

Ten. By thirteen I was writing short stories, plotting out novels that were far too unwieldy for my skills. I also wrote Star Trek fanfiction (although I don't think it had an official name yet. It was 1969).

2. Which book introduced you to Speculative Fiction?

Beauty, by Sheri S. Tepper. I'm pretty sure I'd read speculative fiction prior but Beauty was the first one that I said, "oh, this is that thing which isn't exactly science fiction but also isn't remotely mainstream. I'm going to write this."

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? What about it makes it your favorite?

That is a horrible question to ask a writer, you know. Currently, my all time favorite book would be Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. The way the clues to the twist have been layered in from the first page and you only realize it at the same time as the narrator, when it's too late and you're hit with the same crushing betrayal and rage and desperate fear. As a writer, it's kind of awe-inspiring. I'm so glad I knew nothing about it when I began the read.

4. Which author and/or book inspired you to start writing?

To really really start writing? Margaret Atwood and The Handmaid's Tale. She boldly claimed she didn't write science fiction, damn it, she wrote fiction. All fiction speculates. It's all fiction. Plus, that's a brilliant little book.

5. What would you say is the most important lesson all writers should learn?

Most important, trite but true, write because you love it, because you want to, because it challenges you and also gives you joy. Odds are you will not become rich from writing, you may never make enough from it to live on. There was a great cartoon in The New Yorker once, showing a guy on the street selling pencils and the caption was, "Sold my first story and foolishly quit my day job." Don't do that.

6. Of the entire publishing process, which would you say is the most difficult aspect to endure?

Well, your work is going to be rejected so you have to get over that. The toughest I think for most writers (as most of us are introverts) is having to self-promote. It's easier now because of the internet, but not that long ago when print publishing was starting to slow, publishers required new work to be all lined up with blurbs and glowing reviews before they signed a contract with you. Which worked fine, I suppose, if you'd gone through Clarion or another prestigious workshop. If not you were forced to beg for a person who didn't know you to "please, please, please read my book and write a little blurb!"

7. From where did the inspiration for your submission arise?

I was thinking about women as exploitable commodities now and throughout history. So my story was going to deal with that in some way. I have always been interested in the cultural clashes and co-mingling of the early interactions between white traders and Native Americans. So I began with the idea of a Shoshone man who offers his daughter to a mountain man in exchange for saving his life. The similarities of mythical figures from varied cultures is one of the most consistent connecting threads of our humanity. There is always a beast somewhere that can be tamed, tricked, or rescued by a woman.

8. If applicable, did you have a favorite character (to write) from your story? If so, what sets them apart from the others?

My favorite character is, of course, Dove, the narrator. I liked her from the moment she started talking. I think every narrator is my favorite character when I'm writing them though.

9. On what projects are you currently working?

I am working on three novels and must soon decide which one I'm going to spend the next six months working on until the end. One is a time-travel, YA thingy called The Moontree Women. The other is the second novel in my Erasing Sherlock series. And the third is an expansion of a short story called Project Thunderbird, which is due out in March 2015 in the anthology Liberating Earth, edited by Kate Orman.




Read Kelly's story, Blood Medicine, in your very own copy of Twice Upon A Time today!

..About the Author..

KELLY HALE lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where the streets are paved with espresso beans and the garbage recycles itself. She is the author of a bunch of short stories in a bunch of anthologies, and a couple of novels (including the award-winning Erasing Sherlock). She has loved science fiction and fantasy for so long that the characters from the original Star Trek represent archetypes in her dreams.

..Connect with the Author..


Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Twice Upon A Time Blog Tour: Interview with Tarran Jones


CONTRARY to the title of this anthology, working with such a talented cast of writers is an opportunity that usually comes once in a lifetime. From best-selling to greenhorn, independent or traditionally-published, the authors in this anthology span all ranges in addition to spanning the globe—from England to Australia and all over the United States. I've had the privilege of getting to know each and every one of them, and they have become a part of my extended family. I've even caught a glimpse of a secret side of them that only another writer...editor...is privy to witness through their words.

Through this series of posts, I plan on introducing you to my new family through a mini-interview of each. You may not get a chance to see their secret side, but you'll get a sneak-peek into their minds, their passions and inspirations, and what made them the writers they are today.


..The Mini Interview..


1. At what age did you start writing?

I started writing at about age five. My first short story was about a white sports car with black velvet seats.

2. Which book introduced you to Speculative Fiction?

I would have to say there were two books that introduced me to Speculative Fiction: The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis and The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. These two books changed my world.

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? What about it makes it your favorite?

I have a wide range of favourite books that I read. If I had to choose one, it would be Tamora Pierce's world of Tortall, especially her Song of the Lioness Quartet. Alanna: The First Adventure is the first book in that series. I love the threads of magic, life, and love that are woven throughout the series; I loved the characters, too, whom we get to see grow and develop.

4. Which author and/or book inspired you to start writing?

C.S. Lewis, Michael Ende, and Tamora Pierce. I loved these authors' worlds, and I wanted to create worlds just like them, filled with so much life and soul.

5. What would you say is the most important lesson all writers should learn?

Never give up! Writing is a hard business with constant rejection. Develop a hard skin, suck it up, and learn from it. Choose your Beta Readers with care, as you will want the truth and not fluff.

6. Of the entire publishing process, which would you say is the most difficult aspect to endure?

The waiting. That is the hardest part for me. All you can do is try not to stress and keep writing.

7. If applicable, did you have a favorite character (to write) from your story? If so, what sets them apart from the others?

I loved writing Sigrun. She rose from being a scared little girl to the formidable woman who eventually gets justice.

8. On what projects are you currently working?

I have a full-length fantasy manuscript, Stones of Power, which has been picked up by Satalyte Publishing. I also have a few other short stories submitted to various magazines and collections.




Read Tarran's story, All That Glitters, in your very own copy of Twice Upon A Time today!

..About the Author..

TARRAN JONES works at Collins Booksellers Edwardstown. She lives in Adelaide, Australia with her partner and young daughter. Tarran has been in the book industry selling other people’s books for over 10 years and thought it was about time she started thinking about her own. She has finished her first novel, Stones of Power, and is now writing the second. Tarran has previously written articles, reviews, and blog posts for her bookstore’s blog and has written a great many short stories and one unpublished novella. She has had three short stories published online and was a finalist in the Australian Literature Review short story competition for one of her works. She loves writing all kinds of speculative fiction and thinks that it fires up the imagination. Gardening is one of Tarran’s passions and when she isn’t writing she can be found out in the vegetable garden talking to the plants.

..Connect with the Author..